Dive Brief:
- Hilton topped Fortune's Best Large Workplaces for Women list, the magazine and Great Place to Work announced. Hilton was followed by Ultimate Software; Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.; Cooley LLP; and Texas Health Resources. Fortune and Great Place to Work analyzed feedback from 4.6 million U.S. employees. According to Fortune, most of the ranking was based on women's feedback in Great Place to Work's 60-question Trust Index survey.
- Selection criteria was based on the extent to which organizations create an environment in which workers trust each other and feel they can reach their maximum potential regardless of their job. Other criteria were the level of gender fairness, employee inclusion and equitable experiences across racial, gender and ethnic lines. Fortune pointed out Hulu, number 25 on the large organization's list, for sponsoring a mentorship program aimed at women, offering ample development opportunities and providing fertility and maternity benefits that include breast milk shipping services.
- For real success, men and women have to work together to make sure their workplaces are fair, the surveys found. Fortune discovered through employees' feedback that as women advanced in organizations, the gender gap for the perception of fair treatment widened; men were more than twice as likely as women to believe everyone is treated fairly. African American women were least likely to feel included, despite their entry into the executive ranks, Fortune said.
Dive Insight:
Despite companies' best diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts, black and Hispanic women report feeling excluded in the workplace. A recent Harvard Business Review study found that when black women's jobs depended on interacting with team members, they tended to be less "emotionally vulnerable" at work and thus less likely to form supportive relationships with co-workers. Similar results were found for Hispanic women. Black women also reported being excluded from workplace activities, including lunch gatherings. Organizations that expect to make progress with D&I initiatives may need to investigate why women of color, especially, feel they can't bring their whole selves to work.
When Fairygodboss released its "Best Companies for Women 2019" roster in June, an employee-owned company scored high on the list. Pariveda Solutions, a strategic services and IT consulting firm with an employee stock ownership plan, had the highest ranking on the list. Employees praised the firm for offering clear career advancement tracks, pay transparency and a women's mentorship program — similar to the successes listed in Fortune's list. Ultimate Software also made this list of companies.
Employment experts have said that to hire female talent, employers must demonstrate that they can live by their values and be able to communicate and deliver on that message. A report from Morning Consult found that women wanted to work for a company with a higher purpose beyond generating revenue — and for one that actively hires and promotes a diverse staff.
